Concept cars gone bad

Honda Puyo Concept

Introduced at 2007 Tokyo Motor ShowChalk it up to cultural disconnect if you like, but being Japanese is no excuse for creating a ludicrous vehicle like the Honda Puyo. Don't misunderstand; there were many noble intentions behind the Puyo's creation. It was supposed to demonstrate a dedication to environmental responsibility and to safety: It's powered by fuel cells and is built with "gel-body" soft materials to protect pedestrians. Never mind that the fuel cells are predicated on a nonexistent hydrogen-fuel infrastructure and that the Puyo's design seems to be more focused on bouncing off jaywalkers than protecting its occupants in a major collision. The Puyo also aims to literally reinvent the wheel, replacing the tried-and-true steering wheel with a joystick, and giving the car four-wheel steering, making it as maneuverable as a zero-turn lawn mower. All that is understandable and forgivable, but the design itself is not. Meant to be touchable and huggable, the Puyo's balloonish body instead invites angry mobs to roll it over and bounce it around like a beach ball, and its insanely large scissor doors hang crazily off the sides of this thing like Fred Flintstone's order of brontosaurus ribs.More pictures of the Honda Puyo Concept